The present invention concerns a fluid distribution assembly, of the type having modules for channelling fluid and for mounting functional components intended to interact with the fluid, and a body having at least one support face for supporting the modules, the said support face having a regular network of fixing elements.
The invention applies, for example, to the analysis or measurement of characteristics of fluids circulating in industrial installations for this purpose, assemblies of the aforesaid type are used. The body is constituted by a thin plate. The fixing means are threaded holes which pass through the plate and are distributed according to one of the two possibilities provided for by standard ANSI/ISA-76.00.02-2002.
The holes are therefore distributed so as to form squares, and the spacing between two holes of the same square may be 37 mm or 56 mm.
Thus it is possible to fix on the plate, fluid channelling modules having dimensions which are also standardised. The modules are thus substantially in the shape of a parallelepiped with square base, the sides of which have a length of 38.2 mm if the first possibility is selected or, respectively, 57.2 mm if the second possibility is selected.
The modules have internal channels and are arranged one after the other, being connected by connecting members, in order to effect the channelling of the fluid. The modules also serve for the mounting of functional components intended to interact with the fluid, such as valves, taps, pressure gauges, transducers, sensors, etc.
Owing to the above-mentioned standard, the perforated plates, the modules and the components are interchangeable, whoever their manufacturers, thus making it possible in particular to guarantee reduced costs.
In order to analyse a fluid, for example in an industrial installation, the fluid distribution assembly, equipped with the appropriate functional components, may be arranged downstream of a branch connection made on the pipe of the installation in which the fluid to be analysed circulates. A filter is generally provided between the branch connection and the fluid distribution assembly, in order to avoid polluting the analysis and measurement components.
Such known distribution assemblies prove satisfactory, but it is still desirable to reduce their overall dimensions.